<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Once Upon A Time by StarSparkle2403</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30026814">Once Upon A Time</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarSparkle2403/pseuds/StarSparkle2403'>StarSparkle2403</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Descendants (Disney Movies), Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>All Platonic - Freeform, Because let's face it- I can't write angst for the life of me, Descendants Au, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Let them cuddle the homies, Mostly Fluff, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Relationships, Rated T for language, SHIPPERS DNI, Theft, These boys are traumatised okay?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 23:28:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,003</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30026814</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarSparkle2403/pseuds/StarSparkle2403</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>By decree of the Crown Prince, you have been cordially invited to attend school at the Royal Academy of L’manberg in the Antarctic Empire.</p><p>Or: The Descendants AU nobody wanted.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Grayson | Purpled &amp; Ranboo &amp; Toby Smith | Tubbo, Grayson | Purpled &amp; Ranboo (Video Blogging RPF), Grayson | Purpled &amp; Toby Smith | Tubbo, Grayson | Purpled &amp; TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Ranboo &amp; Toby Smith | Tubbo, Ranboo &amp; TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Toby Smith | Tubbo &amp; TommyInnit, Wilbur Soot &amp; Technoblade</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>494</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Want To Read DSMP</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. There Once Were Four Boys...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So I was thinking about how the song “Space Between” from Disney’s Descendants 2 fits Tommy and Tubbo really well and this happened.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <i>By decree of the Crown Prince, you have been cordially invited to attend school at the Royal Academy of L’manberg in the Antarctic Empire.</i>
  </p>
  <p>
    <i>A carriage will arrive to take you and three other students to the mainland on the Twenty-Sixth of August. You will be provided with room and board at the Academy, and classes will begin promptly at 8 o’clock sharp in the morning on September First.</i>
  </p>
  <p>
    <i>We await your arrival.</i>
  </p>
  <p>
    <i>Signed,</i><br/>
<i>King Philza</i>
  </p>
</div><p> </p><p>Tommy honestly didn’t believe the note at first.</p><p>Sure, it was written on fancier paper than he had ever seen, and yeah, it was gold ink, but it was outlandish to believe that he of all people would be chosen, and there was also no way that anyone would go to the trouble to bring kids from the Isle over to the mainland. Heroes were too selfish for that.</p><p>After he saw Tubbo and the rest of the crew’s notes, he knew it was real. It was unbelievable, but true.</p><p>“We’ll all be together!” Tubbo said happily. He was fiddling with a tiny metal contraption. Two others were already finished on the floor next to him. “Do you think there’ll be bees?”</p><p>“I don’t know Tubbs,” Tommy replied. “Maybe.”</p><p>They sat silently for a moment, watching Ranboo try to get Purpled off of the roof. It was a weekly occurrence, but it was still funny to watch.</p><p>Tommy knew not to get his hopes up, growing up on the Isle of the Lost drilled that into you, but he couldn’t help imagining a peaceful life. Where they could be like this in public, instead of just in their hideout. Maybe they could stop running. Maybe they could be safe.</p><p>But of course his dad had other ideas.</p><p>“I need you to obtain the Axe of Peace.”</p><p>“Yes, Sir.”</p><p>{+}</p><p>Ranboo didn’t think that the people in the Empire knew how tall he and Tommy were. </p><p>Being crammed into a carriage wasn’t a fun experience. His legs were too long, so Tubbo had to sit with his feet in his seat, and Purpled had been sitting on part of his tail for the whole ride. Tommy was a bit better off, but he kept accidentally kneeing Purpled in places a little too close for comfort.</p><p>The good thing was that they were all used to being this close together for long periods of time. Stakeouts weren’t uncommon when they were casing the various shops the long-time villains had set up, and the boys often slept in their hideout when their parents got to be too much. All of them had begun to take comfort in each others’ presence. </p><p>“Can you not?” Purpled asked, shoving Tommy’s knee away.</p><p>“Fuck off,” Tommy replied. </p><p>Tubbo peeked out the window and gasped. “Look!”</p><p>The other boys crowded around the windows, eyes widening. “What the hell?” Tommy blurted.</p><p>A sparkling golden bridge was being formed under the wheels of the carriage, immediately disintegrating behind them. </p><p>“What do you think would happen if the bridge just collapsed right now?” Purpled asked. “Or we got, like, fireballed or something?”</p><p>“We’d die,” Ranboo replied. </p><p>Purpled nodded. “Checks out.”</p><p>By the time the carriage got to the mainland, the boys were sick and tired of their tiny prison. The carriage rocked as it rolled over the end of the bridge, throwing Tubbo over into Tommy’s lap and knocking Tubbo’s still-growing horns against the other boy’s chest.</p><p>“Funny seeing you here,” Tommy said cheekily. There was definitely going to be a bruise on his chest to accompany the one already developing there.</p><p>“Shut up,” Tubbo replied, rolling his eyes. He bumped Tommy’s shoulder as he sat back up, silently apologizing for stabbing him with his horns.</p><p>Ranboo jumped when the door to the carriage opened. A warble started to bubble up, but a quick squeeze on the hand from Purpled calmed him down. </p><p>The first to step out was Tommy, their unofficial leader, with his head held high and a defiant look in his eye. Ranboo had always thought that he never belonged on the Isle, what with his golden hair and bright blue eyes. He looked so much more like a prince than a villain. </p><p>Tubbo was the next to hop out, always by Tommy’s side, his right-hand man. His horns were short enough to be hidden in his hair, but the scars on his hands were out for all to see. Some were deliberate, some were accidental, and all of them were a source of pride for the boy. </p><p>With one more squeeze to his hand, Purpled swung himself out. He stood on the balls of his feet, ready to run if need be. His violet eyes were never still, scoping out escape routes both for himself and for his friends.</p><p>Ranboo took a deep breath and unfolded his frame from the carriage. He maneuvered himself to be partially hidden behind the other boys, not that it did him much good. Black and white bangs fell in his eyes as he looked at the ground. There was no way he was going to meet any of these people’s eyes. That privilege was solely reserved for Tubbo, the other boys being granted the honor on special occasions. </p><p>A boy stepped forward as the carriage rolled away, leaving Ranboo’s back wide open. Purpled quickly slid back to cover his blind spot.</p><p>The boy smiled and said, “Welcome to L’manberg!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. They Were Offered A Better Life...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay, this one is a bit shorter, but it's also the shortest amount of time between updates there will ever be.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>At first, Wilbur thought Techno’s idea was nuts.</p><p>Bringing kids over from the Isle? Had Techno hit his head or something? Why would they bring over the kids of their greatest enemies?</p><p>But then Techno explained it, and it made a lot of sense.</p><p>“What are they goin’ through over there, Wil? They’re stuck there with murderers and rapists and God knows what else.” Techno’s eyes were watery as he said, “Please understand, Wil. I can’t leave them there. I just can’t.”</p><p>Wilbur nodded once and said, “Anything. Anything you need me to do.”</p><p>‘Anything’ wound up with Wilbur playing backup as Techno explained his decision to their father. They went in there with hopes lower than the ground they stood on, but came back out with heads held high.</p><p>“I agree with you,” King Philza said, smiling down at his sons. Pride was easily seen in the way he pulled them into a hug. “I never wanted to send anyone to that island, but the Council at the time had much more power. They overruled me easily.” </p><p>“Can’t they do that now?” Techno asked.</p><p>Phil grinned, a devilish smirk in his eye. “Nope. Their power was cut in half years ago. Besides, nothing can overrule a Crown Prince’s first official proclamation.”</p><p>{+}</p><p>The two of them had gone over everything they knew about the kids on the Isle, and had picked out four of them. </p><p>“Who did you choose?” Phil asked as he settled down in his armchair. The boys had spread out papers all over the floor of their private family room, burying themselves in the process. </p><p>“There’s a group of four that we think are friends,” Wilbur said. “Or at least as close to friends as you could probably get on the Isle. We didn’t want to bring over anyone who were enemies or leave behind anyone who has close ties to other kids.”</p><p>Techno nodded, pushing his glasses up his nose. </p><p>Phil nodded. “Good thinking. Just write down who they are, and I’ll have letters sent over on the next barge.”</p><p>After that, it was decided that Wilbur would be the one to greet the kids when they got to L’manberg. He was more approachable than Techno, so they hoped the kids would be more comfortable with him. No matter how big his brother’s heart was, Wilbur knew he wore it in a locked cage in his chest instead of on his arm. </p><p>That was how he found himself standing in the late summer heat in front of the Academy. He knew Techno was watching from the top of one of the towers, and his protective gaze settled some of his nerves.</p><p>His communicator buzzed, and he pulled it out.</p><p>
  <b><i>Techie:</i> You’re fine. Calm down.</b>
</p><p>Wilbur took a deep breath before replying.</p><p>
  <b><i>Wilby:</i> easy for you to say. youre not the one who has to face kids who have years’ worth of trauma built up</b>
</p><p>
  <b><i>Techie:</i> They’ll love you. Everyone does.</b>
</p><p>Smiling slightly, Wilbur put his communicator back into his pocket. He blew a quick kiss up at the tower Techno’s room was in and turned back just in time to see the carriage roll up. </p><p>His first thought as the kids got out was, “When was the last time any of them had a bath?”</p><p>His second was, “Holy shit, they’re skinny.”</p><p>Instead of voicing his thoughts, he just said, “Welcome to L’manberg!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. In A Brand New World...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If looks could kill, Wilbur would be six feet under, with nine inches of concrete and a corporate office building on top of him. Fortunately, Wilbur was used to that from Techno and wasn’t phased at all. </p><p>“I’m Wilbur! It’s nice to meet you all.” Wilbur watched the boys carefully. The tallest one glanced over at the blonde-haired boy nervously. </p><p>The blonde-haired boy stepped forward, and with a clearly fake smile, he said, “You too.”</p><p>Wilbur turned to gesture toward the Academy, just barely catching the flinch from the tallest boy. Techno’s gaze on his back turned hot.</p><p>His brother did not like that one bit. Techno had threatened him with bodily harm if he so much as startled a single one of the kids.</p><p>Trying to send calming signals to both the boy and to Techno, Wilbur said, “I’m here to show you to your rooms and to give you a mini tour before the other students start arriving.” He turned back to the boys. “But before we do that, may I ask your names?”</p><p>The boys blinked at him, and the two in front looked at each other. They seemed to communicate with their eyes for a moment before the blonde-haired boy spoke again. “I’m Tommy,” he said. “This is Tubbo, Ranboo, and Purpled.” He gestured to the smallest boy, the tall boy, and the purple-eyed boy in turn. </p><p>Wilbur noticed that Ranboo didn’t flinch when Tommy gestured, and concluded that it must be strangers that set him off. </p><p>Smiling, Wilbur turned and said, “If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you to your rooms.”</p><p>{+}</p><p>As they followed Wilbur, Purpled’s eyes caught a flicker of pink and focused on the tallest tower. </p><p>He locked eyes with the boy on the roof briefly before looking away. The boy wasn’t an immediate threat, but anyone who could climb up there was someone to watch. Purpled had been jumped before, and it wasn't going to happen again.</p><p>Meanwhile, Techno was impressed that someone had noticed his hiding spot. </p><p>Wilbur was the only one who knew he went up there to keep an eye on things. It was the one spot he could go to be alone when his duties as Crown Prince got too overwhelming. </p><p>That kid would be one to watch.</p><p>{+}</p><p>Up a winding staircase, at the end of a hallway, were two rooms. Tommy and Tubbo were placed in one, Ranboo and Purpled in the other. They were two of the very few rooms that had a bathroom connecting them, per Techno's request. He had thought that the boys would be uncomfortable sharing one with people they didn't know.</p><p>After all, Techno was uncomfortable sharing even with people he did know.</p><p>“You can do whatever you want in here,” WIlbur told them, respectfully staying outside. “Just make sure it doesn’t break any school rules.” He pointed to the desk in one of the rooms. “The handbook is in there if you have any questions. You can also ask anyone to come get me and I’d be happy to help.”</p><p>Tommy nodded. “We’ll do that,” he said. It was another lie. </p><p>Wilbur pursed his lips. He didn't really want to leave them alone, but he needed to talk to Techno.</p><p>“Oh, by the way,” Wilbur called over his shoulder as he walked down the hall toward the tower. “You can use the showers for however long you want.”</p><p>{+}</p><p>The boys stood in the hallway while Tubbo thoroughly examined each of the rooms, making sure that there were no hidden cameras or listening devices. He was surprised to find that there weren't any. </p><p>Surely the people here wouldn't trust them enough to leave them to their own devices? They were villians' kids! Dangerous psychopaths! They could be up to anything!</p><p>"I don't see anything," Tubbo said as he crawled out from under one of the beds. "And I'm not picking up any radio signals either. That could be because I screwed up while making this, though."</p><p>He fiddled with the device in his hands sheepishly. It was supposed to be able to detect and locate the source of radio signals, but it was made of scrap parts and he'd never made anything like this before and-</p><p>"I'm sure it works, Tubbo," Ranboo assured. He sat down on the bed Tubbo had crawled out from under. "Everything you make does."</p><p>Tubbo smiled and leaned on his shoulder. "Thanks, Boo."</p><p>"Dibs on the shower!" Tommy yelled, sprinting to the bathroom. </p><p>"Oh, come on!" Purpled yelled back. "I was gonna go in there!"</p><p>"Too late, bitch!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. They Were Safe There...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Why did you make him flinch?”</p><p>Wilbur sighed. Of course that was the first thing Techno asked. “I didn’t mean to,” he replied. “And I tried my best not to scare him after that.”</p><p>Techno huffed and crawled in through the window. “Don’t do it again,” he muttered. </p><p>“I’ll try, Tech, but we don’t know what any of their triggers are,” Wilbur sighed. He could tell that Techno was already going to be overprotective of these kids. “Accidents will happen.” </p><p>{+}</p><p>“We need a plan,” Tubbo said, laying flat on his back on the carpet. His arms were up in the air, sketching out plans for a radio with one hand and tapping out notes on a piano with the other.</p><p>“Already working on it!” Tommy yelled from the bathroom. </p><p>“Get out, I’m trying to shower!” Purpled yelled back. </p><p>“No!” </p><p>Ranboo chuckled from his place by Tubbo’s head. He nudged Tubbo’s drawings away when they drifted too close and flipped a few pages in his notebook. He scribbled down a few words before pausing. “How do you spell L’manberg?” he asked.</p><p>“Don’t ask me,” Tubbo responded. “I’m in a feud with words, remember?”</p><p>“Oh, right.”</p><p>Steam billowed behind Tommy as he stepped out of the bathroom. “I’ve got it!” he said, grinning like a madman. His blond hair was sticking straight up and his eyes were lit with a fire that always spelled trouble.</p><p>“Shut the door! It’s cold out there!”</p><p>{+}</p><p>“How did it go?” Phil asked, settling into his armchair. He had been eager for this news all day, to the point of annoying his advisors to get out of his last meeting of the day early.</p><p>Wilbur flopped face-first onto the couch. “I wa’ ‘orrible.”</p><p>“Wil made one of them flinch.”</p><p>Phil clasped his hands in his lap and sat back to watch the show.</p><p>Jerking his head up to glare at his twin, Wilbur replied, “How many times do I have to tell you it was an accident?”</p><p>“Until you make sure it never happens again.” Techno sat down on his legs and, with a squawk of protest from Wilbur, looked over to Phil. “I think you’d like the blonde one.”</p><p>Phil raised an eyebrow. “Really? Why is that?”</p><p>“He’s protective of the others. He made sure that everyone stayed together and that he was the one who had Wil’s attention at all times.”</p><p>Wilbur kicked Techno off and sat up, pulling the blanket off the back of the couch as he did. “He did? I didn’t notice.” </p><p>Techno stole the blanket from Wilbur and smacked his arm when he tried to get it back. “That’s because he’s good at what he does,” Techno replied. </p><p>{+}</p><p>Tommy had always been the one to plan their schemes. Ranboo helped out when the other boy forgot that humans have limits, but Tommy was the master or planning. Give him ten minutes to think, and he’d have a solution in half that. It may not be the best solution, or even the smartest, but they always worked.</p><p>Until now.</p><p>“How the hell are we supposed to get that?”</p><p>Tommy scowled. “I don’t know. How was I supposed to know that there was gonna be a force field around it?”</p><p>Purpled jumped up on the railing, his foot scraping the nameplate reading, “Axe of Peace.” He squinted and tilted his head. “I don’t think it’s that thick. I might be able to get it.”</p><p>“You think so?” Tommy asked. Purpled nodded. “Go for it, I guess.”</p><p>“You guess? That’s not very reassuring,” Ranboo snarked.</p><p>Tubbo frowned. “You know it only works sometimes, so be careful.”</p><p>“I got this,” Purpled said. He rolled up his sleeve and reached toward the barrier. His fingers were just about to touch when they began to pale. His hand was halfway through the barrier when it turned fully transparent. </p><p>“It’s actually working,” Ranboo breathed.</p><p>Tubbo slapped his arm lightly, avoiding the bruise just above his elbow. “Don’t say that, you’ll jinx it.”</p><p>Purpled managed to grab onto the axe and pulled it out gently. As soon as it cleared the force field, Tommy whooped and swept Tubbo up in a hug. </p><p>“We did it boys! Now we just have to get it back to our parents!” he yelled. Ranboo looked around frantically for the guards and tried to shush him.</p><p>“Slight problem, guys,” Purpled said, testing the weight of the axe. When all eyes were on him, he said, “I’m pretty sure this is plastic.”</p><p>There was a moment of silence before Tubbo mournfully sighed, “Of course it is. Why would they leave the real one in a public museum?”</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>